TEACHER ONLY · WEEK 1
Ready, Set, Design
Teach the five steps of design thinking, then let students practice the full cycle in a fast group challenge. Teams work from a user need, sketch several ideas, build a small prototype, test it, and make one useful change.
Core lesson: teach it whole group
Use the complete lesson deck as the main route. Slides 1 through 12 teach what design thinking is, why designers begin with the user, and what happens during empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test.
Slides 13 through 23 put those steps into practice. Teams receive a challenge card with a user need, generate several ideas, build with a limited materials bag, test the prototype, make one change, and share what they learned.
Choose the ending that fits your class. Slide 24 is an optional NASA/ClassVR extension; without headsets, project the linked video instead. Slide 25 is a longer exit ticket to use instead of the quick exit on slide 22.
Optional independent route
The Canvas Learn: Ready Set Design! item and student worksheet can support an absent student, a self-paced class period, or extra review. They are not the default lesson and do not replace the group build-and-test experience.
Video route: run the challenge without the deck
ASU published its own Ready, Set, Design! walkthrough (ASU Edson E & I Youth Entrepreneurship). Project it in place of slides 13 through 23 when you are short on time, covering for someone, or the deck will not open. Teach the five design-thinking steps first either way, from slides 1 through 12 or your own route.
At 1:41 the video states the materials rule on screen: one bag per group, and no glue, tape, or scissors. It also says one to two partners, while this guide plans groups of four. Set your own grouping and tell students to ignore that line.
Teacher copies
- Facilitator guide: make a copy
- Lucero complete lesson deck: download the PowerPoint · Make a Google copy or make a Google Slides copy. This is the default whole-group route. Slides 1 through 12 teach the design-thinking process with examples, and slides 13 through 23 guide the materials-bag challenge. Slide 24 is an optional NASA/ClassVR extension; slide 25 is an alternate longer exit ticket.
- Student worksheet: make a copy
- Checkpoint: make a copy
Five Chair Challenge: second round or flex route
The course map names Five Chair alongside Ready, Set, Design in Week 1. Both teach the same design cycle. Run Five Chair after the materials-bag challenge if students need a second practice round, or swap it in when a user-centred chair problem is a better fit. Do not require two full written packets unless your calendar has room.
- Five Chair facilitator guide: make a copy
- Five Chair presentation: make a copy
- Five Chair student worksheet: make a copy
- Five Chair checkpoint: make a copy
Five Chair asks partners to design for one specific user, build several chair prototypes with different materials, and revise after testing. Gather cardboard, paper, scissors, tape, clay or play-dough, and a small selection of pipe cleaners, straws, paper clips, toothpicks, or craft sticks.
Optional worksheet turn-in
The whole-group build does not require the worksheet. If you choose to use it, students open the copy link and upload the completed file to Canvas.
If you prefer Google Assignments, create a new External Tool assignment in your course, attach your copy, choose one copy per student, save, and test it in Student View.
A /copy link works only for people who can access the Google file. Test it with a student account before class. Google explains how file access and organisation rules affect shared files.
Teacher-led material bags
Plan groups of four. Each bag needs a small mix of fasteners, flat surfaces, and structural pieces. Include items such as pipe cleaners, rubber bands, paper clips, string, cardboard, paper, craft sticks, straws, and foil. The exact mix can vary. The constraint is part of the task.
- Kit planner: Prototyping Bag Kit teacher template (PDF, 1 page) · Make a Google copy. The three categories with a menu of items, blank boxes for your own counts, and one worked example. Print it, fill in what your closet actually has, and hand it to whoever assembles the bags.
Live flow
- Empathise: name the person in the challenge and what that person needs.
- Define: write one problem the group can act on.
- Ideate: sketch more than one possible response before choosing.
- Prototype: build a small model from the materials in the bag.
- Test: let another person try it, name one problem, and change the model.
What to listen for
- Students name a person or user, not a vague audience.
- The prototype responds to the written challenge.
- The test produces a change. "They liked it" is not enough information to revise a design.
Language support
Keep the five verbs visible: empathise, define, ideate, prototype, test. Students may discuss and label in their stronger language before completing the English worksheet. Start with Our user needs ____ because ____. After the test, shift to We changed ____ because ____.